There's something so exhilarating about hitting the road for a fun-filled escape. No matter where you’re headed, it feels like an adventure when you make every stop it’s own little holiday destination. Even if you’ve planned a lot, part of the joy is knowing there will still be surprises along the way. The detour to the waterfall you didn’t know existed, the brief stop that led to you discovering the best cheese scone of your life, the viewing platform looking out over the sparkling gorge - there’s so much to discover in our beautiful country.

Here are some tips for making your next road trip even better:

• Be prepared

Make like a good boy or girl scout and be well prepared for car breakdowns (jack working, pumped up spare tyre, jumper leads, spare tank of petrol etc). Obviously if you’re hiring a car, most of this will all be in order already. Also, make sure you’re sorted in case of a medical emergency; a fully stocked first aid kit can be a godsend for little bumps and scrapes you might get on your intrepid hikes. 

• Pack snacks

While stopping at roadside cafes, fruit stalls, wineries, bakeries, cheese shops and the like are an essential part of any road trip, it’s also great to have some of your own snacks with you. There isn’t always a food place around when you need it and if you’re away for a while, you might not want to be living off mince and cheese pies, chips, chocolate bars or any of the other delicious looking petrol station fare that always seems to be available when you’re starving.

• Download Maps

Google Maps is a road tripper’s best friend, but if you hit an area with no coverage you may not be able to access your navigation. Download your route before departure and you’ll be fine, even if you lose service. Even better, why not get a back up paper map for an added precaution?

• Music

As you’re driving, get people to shout out their favourite songs and assign one person to add them to a Spotify playlist as you go. Then hit shuffle play and listen to everyone’s top picks in random rotation. Make it even more fun by trying to guess who added what.

• Do a thorough pre-trip check

Make sure your car enjoys the road trip too - it will thank you for a filled-up windscreen-wiper reservoir, a full tank of petrol, tyres pumped up to their bouncy best and oil levels checked before departure.

• Rubbish 

A lidded cereal box (with a large square pouring spout that can be opened and clicked closed) lined with a plastic bag can be great for food rubbish that might smell. Whatever you use, make sure you have a receptacle for wrappers and food waste so your car doesn’t become a dumping ground.